My Chicken & Vege Pot Pies

Ingredients

6 Chicken thighs bone in and skin removed
2 Rashers of bacon
1 Large onion finely diced
1 Large carrot finely diced
6 button mushrooms sliced
1 cob fresh corn kernels removed
4 Tablespoons powdered chicken stock
5 Cups water
Cornflour and water to thicken

Heat a large stockpot on the stove and add a splash of olive oil. Saute the bacon & onion and then add the chicken. Cook until the chicken is brown on all sides and then add the water and the chicken stock.  Put the lid on and simmer on low until the chicken is  falling off the bone. Remove the pot from the heat and strain to remove the liquid.  Remove the meat from the chicken bones. Let the stock cool and then skim the fat from the top. Return the chicken to the stockpot and add  the veges (You can add any extra veges you like.. I have a fussy household so I've made mine basic) and the stock. Simmer until the veges are tender and thicken with cornflour. (approx 2 tbs cornflour mixed with 1/2 cup water) Add a little more water if it is too thick, or add a little more cornflour and water if it is not thick enough. Let the mixture cool and then place into oven proof dishes and top with pastry. Brush the tops of the pastry with egg wash and bake at 180 until the pastry is golden.

Homemade Ricotta

Not sure where I got this recipe but I have been making it for years. Ricotta isn't expensive to buy but I like making my own as I know what is in it.

Ingredients..

2ltrs Full cream Milk
250ml Cream
4tbs lemon juice
1 tbs vinegar

What to do..

In a heavy based saucepan slowly heat the milk and the cream. Stir occasionally while heating so it doesn't stick to the bottom. When the milk/cream begins to boil add the lemon juice and vinegar. It will separate into curds and whey. Keep stirring until all the curds form. Pour into a clean chux or teatowel over a sieve and bowl. Let it drain for 5 mins or so but don't let it drain completely as it will be too dry. Cool in the fridge.

I substitute using skim milk and extra light cream and it is still delicious. You can infuse with flavour if you like, herbs, garlic whatever.

Lj's Cannelloni with Homemade Ricotta, Tuna & English spinach

Lj's Cannelloni with Homemade Ricotta, Tuna & English spinach

Ingredients

425g Can Tuna in Springwater drained
50g Baby Spinach torn into 1/4's
1/2 Lge Red Onion finely chopped
1/4 Red Capsicum finely chopped
6 Button Mushrooms finely chopped
1 Egg
1/2 Batch of Homemade Ricotta (If you buy the Ricotta around 300g should be enough)
Fresh Lasagne sheets or Cannelloni tubes

Homemade Tomato, Red wine and herbs Pasta Sauce (to cut down your cooking time you can use bottled sauce)

What to do

Heat a frypan and add the Onion, Capsicum and Mushrooms and saute for a few minutes until soft. In a bowl add the Tuna, Spinach and crumbed Ricotta. Add the veg once cooled a little and mix through the egg to help bind it all together. Season with some fresh ground pepper and rock salt. I use lasagne sheets instead of the Cannelloni tubes basically because the fresher the pasta the nicer the dish. Add a few table spoons of the mix to the end of the lasagne sheet and roll it over to make a tube and seal in the mixture. Place into a greased baking dish. Keep making the tubes and place in a row into the baking dish until you have used up all your mixture. Cover the tubes with your favourite pasta sauce and top with grated tasty cheese and a little parmesan. This time we used a tomato based pasta sauce but a creamy sauce is also really yummy!

Bacon & Egg burger with fresh homemade Chilli Sauce... Delicious Sunday Brunch

Now this is a Sunday Brunch... Fresh bacon from the butchers, bread from the best baker in town, free range eggs from one of my clients and homemade chilli sauce.. mmm what a beautiful way to start a Sunday <3

Beef, bacon, mushroom pie with a layer of tasty grated cheese, potato/sweet potato mash topped with pastry

Beef, bacon, mushroom pie with a layer of tasty grated cheese, potato/sweet potato mash topped with pastry.. Ready for the oven.

Add a splash of olive oil into a frypan or I use my cast iron dish with a lid and let it heat up. Sauté the onions, mushrooms and bacon. Coat the diced beef in a mix of plain flour, beef stock and cracked pepper and salt. Add the meat to the pan and brown. Cover the meat mixture with a few cups of beef stock (just enough to cover it) being to the boil, then put the lid on and simmer on low for around 4 hrs or until the meat is melt in your mouth. Let it cool and put into individual serving dishes that are oven proof. Top with some grated cheese, mash (I used cream in the mash instead of butter and milk for a change)and then the pastry. Glaze with egg and bake in a hot oven until the pastry is golden.

My Homemade Spaghetti on English Muffins..

Homemade Spaghetti on English Muffins..

Boil some water and salt well. Add some spaghetti and cook until tender. In a fry pan saute some diced bacon, mushrooms and onion. Add a tin of diced roma tomatoes and some dried italian herbs. Simmer for around 10 mins until the tomatoes are soft and the flavours are fragrant. Add a little tomato sauce and some tomato paste to taste and then stir in the cooked spaghetti. Simmer for a few more minutes and then serve on toasted english muffins and top with grated tasty cheese. 

Sweet & Sour Pork stuffed Zucchini

I just made up some savoury mince sweet & sour style (My friend Honi's Recipe), scooped out the center of the zucchini to remove all the seeds. Added the filling and then top with cheese. Bake in a 180 oven until the zucchini is cooked and the cheese is golden.

Ingredients

Olive oil
1 lge brown onion sliced
1 lge carrot sliced
3 tbs cornflour
440g can pineapple pieces in natural juice (drain and reserve juice)
1/2 cup white wine vinegar
2 tbs soy sauce
4 tbs caster sugar
4 tbs tomato paste
200ml vegetable stock
1/2 red capsicum diced
1/2 green capsicum diced
200g Button mushrooms diced
500g Lean Beef Mince/chicken mince/Pork Mince
1 pkt French onion soup mix

What to do..

Heat the olive oil in a large frypan. Add onion and carrot and cook over medium heat for 1-2 minutes. Add the mince and brown off. Add the diced mushrooms and capsicum. Cook these ingredients through until almost cooked. Add vinegar, soy, sugar, tomato paste and stock to the pan. Bring to the boil. Mix the cornflour with the reserved pineapple juice and french onion soup mix. Add pineapple pieces to the frypan along with the remaining juice and the cornflour mixture. Stir until thickened. Simmer for 5 minutes. Serve with steamed rice.

Alternatively you can make the same dish with tinned ingredients if you are camping and don't have fresh ingredients! Brown off the mince and add a bottle of sweet and sour sauce (any brand will do), tinned Mushrooms & tinned veges drained and the french onion soup mix.

My Slowcooker Veal, Red wine & Portabello Mushroom Casserole

My Slowcooker Veal, Red wine & Portabello Mushroom Casserole served on potato, sweet potato and carrot mash...l

500g Heart Smart diced veal coated in plain flour seasoned with sea salt and cracked pepper
250ml Merlot
Tin of Diced tomatoes
500ml Beef Stock
2 large Portabello mushrooms sliced
1 tuscan red onion sliced


Brown off the meat in some extra virgin olive oil. Add the onion and saute. Add the remaining ingredients and slow cook until the meat is tender and falling apart and the sauce thickens. I usually leave it on for around 4 hrs, the first few hrs on high and then to low for the remaining time.

Serve on mash!

So quick and easy and so much flavour!

Feta & Pesto stuffed Chicken Breast wrapped in Bacon

Cut a pocket into your chicken breast. Stuff with some homemade marinated Feta and pesto. ( I used my homemade basil and walnut) Fold and wrap in a slice of bacon. Secure with a toothpick. Bake in a 180 oven with some jacket veges.

Chicken, Chroizo & Bacon Pasta bake with Cherry Tomato Sauce

Saute a diced red onion, with some crushed garlic and sliced mushrooms in a splash of olive oil. Add finely sliced chorizo and diced chicken. Fry until golden. Add halved fresh or tinned  cherry tomatoes, some tomato paste and white wine. Simmer until the sauce thickens. Add cooked pasta and pop into a baking dish and top with cheese. Bake on 180 until the cheese is golden.

Surf N Turf with Chilli Garlic Prawns

A delicious Saturday lunch.... just what the Dr ordered! Add some spice to your prawns by adding some chilli sauce... YUM!